Rugby league star Paul Gallen stops ex-NRL bad boy John Hopoate with a brutal knockout as much-hyped boxing bout ends in just the second round
- Cronulla Sharks skipper Paul Gallen stopped former NRL icon John Hopoate
- Two household footy names had stoked the fire ahead of the sold-out bout
- Sharks star threw three punches to Hopoate's head before ex-star fell to canvas
- Hopoate had wagered $50,000 on the outcome of the fight with his opponent
Cronulla Sharks skipper Paul Gallen stopped another NRL icon in John Hopoate in a brutal second-round knockout - ending the much anticipated in a matter of minutes.
The two household footy names had stoked the fire ahead of the sold-out bout at Sydney's Hordern Pavilion on Friday night.
Hopoate had wagered $50,000 on the outcome of the fight with Gallen - and the two exchanged a number of barbs at the weigh-in.
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Cronulla Sharks skipper Paul Gallen stopped another NRL icon in John Hopoate in a brutal second-round knockout - ending the much anticipated in a matter of minutes
Gallen started the fight tentatively before cornering his opponent halfway through the second round.
The Sharks star delivered three ferocious punches to Hopoate's head before the ex-star fell to the canvas.
Gallen's powerful performance came despite his opponent weighing in at 112kg for the heavyweight fight - 10kg heavier than him.
The Sharks star delivered three ferocious punches to Hopoate's head before the ex-star fell to the canvas (pictured)
'Hoppa is known as a bad guy but I know the bloke - he's made mistakes but he's only ever been a gentleman to me.
'The last couple of weeks have got personal but I'm happy to shake his hand now - I've only got respect for him,' Gallen said according to The Daily Telegraph.
'I got caught, went to sleep. I can't complain, Gal got me,' Hopoate admitted.
'I got caught, went to sleep. I can't complain, Gal got me,' Hopoate (left) admitted
Before the fight, Gallen had responded to criticism of his all-NRL bout headlining Main Event.
'I think it's great for the sport,' he said.
'To be able to attract people to the sport in front of thousands, it's only beneficial to boxing and I don't understand why people involved in boxing want to bag it.'
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